Hamas Dominates Parliamentary Elections

Israeli-Palestinian relations were thrown into
further turmoil when the militant Hamas Party won an
unexpected landslide victory in the January Palestinian parliamentary
elections. Although Hamas had been in a cease-fire with Israel for
more than a year the party continued to call for Israel's destruction and
refused to renounce violence.

In April 2006, Hamas fired rockets into Israeli
territory, effectively ending the cease-fire between them. After Hamas
militants killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped another on June 25,
Israel launched air strikes and sent ground troops into Gaza, destroying
its only power plant and three bridges. Fighting continued over the
summer, with Hamas firing rockets into Israel, and Israeli troops
reoccupying Gaza.